← Back to catalogue
Published

human population

vr.tr.human-population · thing-q33829

Let an agent handle human populations with sourced figures and definitions, and describe peoples respectfully using their own names.

Thing Registry Cross-cutting context XCT.QTY
Bundle → Layer → Finding → QuestionsClassifiersWhat it isWhy it existsDistinguishing featuresWhat robots and AI may and may not doMoral aspectsOwnersLinks to other meta-modelsIdentity and identifiersDirect propertiesRecognitionCapabilities and actionsHazards and failure modesStandards and interfacesContext of useSources

Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled

4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions

Size How many people.

Count

Census and estimates.

Count

Population figure.

  1. What is the population, from which census or estimate, and year? measurement
  2. How is resident defined? definition

Trend

Change.

Trend

Trend.

  1. How is it changing, and why? measurement
  2. What do projections say? provenance
Composition Who the people are.

Structure

Age and sex.

Structure

Demographic structure.

  1. What is the age and sex structure? measurement
  2. From which source? provenance

Groups

Peoples and communities.

Groups

Groups and self-identification.

  1. Which peoples or communities are part of it, by self-identification? provenance
  2. How are categories defined? definition
Peoples Named peoples.

Names

Self-designations.

Names

Names used.

  1. What do the people call themselves? provenance
  2. Which names are considered offensive? boundary

Rights

Recognition.

Rights

Legal recognition.

  1. Are they recognised as a minority or indigenous people? provenance
  2. Which rights follow? boundary
Handling Respect and privacy.

Respect

Non-stereotyping.

Respect

Respectful description.

  1. Is the description respectful and free of stereotypes? boundary
  2. Is it based on evidence? provenance

Privacy

Special categories.

Privacy

Data rules.

  1. Is ethnic or religious data processed lawfully? boundary
  2. Could small numbers identify people? boundary

Classifiers Filled

Family
Thing Registry
Category
Cross-cutting context
Entry kind
thing
Plane
XCT
Domain
XCT.QTY
Other names and narrower kinds
Andalusian people, Black Nova Scotians, Teleuts, Tubalar, Telengits, Kumandins, Altai people, Chelkans, de facto population of Greece, permanent population, daytime population, Mongolic peoples

What it is Filled

The people living in a given locality, counted and described by censuses and surveys.

Why it exists Filled

Let an agent handle human populations with sourced figures and definitions, and describe peoples respectfully using their own names.

Distinguishing features Filled

  • A human population consists of people living in the same locality.
  • Censuses count populations using stated definitions.
  • Peoples within a population have self-designations and rights.
  • Sensitive categories need care.

What robots and AI may and may not do Filled

Must not

  • Re-identify individuals from census or survey data.
  • Use population data to target ethnic or religious groups.
  • Present stereotypes of a people as fact.
  • Misstate population figures for political ends.

Only with a human decision

  • Publishing fine-grained data on ethnic or religious groups.

May

  • Report population figures from censuses and surveys with source and date.
  • Describe named peoples using the names they use for themselves.

Moral aspects Filled

  • Census data has been used for persecution.
  • Peoples have the right to name and describe themselves.

Who is affected

  • Residents counted
  • Ethnic and religious minorities
  • Indigenous peoples

Owners Filled

Steward

National statistics offices hold census data; peoples speak for themselves.

Master systems

  • National census records

Links to other meta-models Filled

parent

  • Q2625603 - registry parent class
  • Q279007 - registry parent class

related

  • population - group of organisms
  • census - statistics
  • state and city - place
  • human rights law - protections

What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled

Identity and identifiers required Filled

  • Vercy registry: vr.tr.human-population
  • Wikidata: Q33829 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q33829)
  • census area code: national codes statistics

Direct properties not applicable Not applicable

Not applicable

Plane XCT: no invented physical properties.

Recognition optional Filled

  • Census tables describe populations within defined localities.
  • Names of peoples alone do not identify populations defined by shared locality.
  • Population pyramids show the age and sex distribution of a defined population.
  • Numbers in censuses and surveys; communities and peoples.

Capabilities and actions required Filled

  • count it, in censuses
  • describe it, by age, sex and other characteristics
  • project it
  • recognise peoples and their rights

Hazards and failure modes required Filled

  • Using outdated figures
  • Exonyms or offensive names for peoples
  • Stereotyping groups
  • Processing ethnic data without a lawful basis

Standards and interfaces required Filled

  • UN Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses
  • UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
  • Data protection for special category data

Context of use required Filled

  • Planning services, understanding societies and recognising peoples.
  • resident populations
  • national and regional populations
  • peoples and ethnic groups
  • indigenous peoples
  • diaspora communities

Sources Filled

  1. Wikidata item Q33829: human population - identity and sense of the item
  2. Wikipedia: Human population - general description of the item

Open questions

  • Should named peoples be separate entries?
  • How should self-designations be prioritised?
  • How should census definitions be linked?

Machine files

Card as JSON Specification Card backlog vercy.card/1

Provenance

thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed

Built from: models/things/publications/thing-q33829/spec.json